Saving the Game

[Magpie Girl]

So how come it has survived some of the worst thugs, some of the worst injuries and constant negatively for 150 years?
What didn't Mums worry when Jack Dyer and Dermie played?

I'm sure they did worry but most of them never saw their sons play, and probably would have had no say in it anyway.
It's only in the last 30 odd years that games have been televised live, and injuries seen up close, and that mums really started watching (from school onwards)

And mums have a much louder voice now

 

[Baltimore Jack]

I'm sure they did worry but most of them never saw their sons play, and probably would have had no say in it anyway.
It's only in the last 30 odd years that games have been televised live, and injuries seen up close, and that mums really started watching (from school onwards)

And mums have a much louder voice now

Possibly, but I just don't accept the view that if Mother's don't like AFL the game will die
To me the notion is ridiculous and reeks of a desperate argument by those with a vested interest in constantly wanting rule changes

 

[Magpie Girl]

Possibly, but I just don't accept the view that if Mother's don't like AFL the game will die
To me the notion is ridiculous and reeks of a desperate argument by those with a vested interest in constantly wanting rule changes

I agree.
Kids are encouraged to try any sport, and rightly so.
Parents, not just mums, were thinking anything was safer than footy, but I think even that's changed now. Look at the number of girls playing Little League!

There will always be enough who choose AFL

 

[speedytiger]

I'm sure they did worry but most of them never saw their sons play, and probably would have had no say in it anyway.
It's only in the last 30 odd years that games have been televised live, and injuries seen up close, and that mums really started watching (from school onwards)

And mums have a much louder voice now

Is that the answer? Shoosh up all the women?

 

[didaksrightfoot]

Does the game actually need saving?
Are the crowds or audiences dropping?

Game styles cycle. They will continue to do so. We are seeing a lot of congested ball - but we are also seeing teams (particularly the very good ones) find easy ways to exploit this.

Personally I like contested ball. I like seeing players have to make decisions in pressure situations. This is basically Grand Final football.

If we were going to talk about rule changes, all I would be suggesting is to more accurately enforce the ones already in place.
Both incorrect disposal and holding the ball need to be judged correctly and promptly. Give a free kick to the tackler (when deserving) and you suddenly stop that congestion.

They also need to find some consistency in what is a 15m kick.

 

[noideaatall]

Is that the answer? Shoosh up all the women?

Nah not at all. Its about changing community expectations on human, particularly minor's, safety. It is being driven by both genders and impacting on a lot more than footy in our society.

 

[Baltimore Jack]

Does the game actually need saving?
Are the crowds or audiences dropping?

Game styles cycle. They will continue to do so. We are seeing a lot of congested ball - but we are also seeing teams (particularly the very good ones) find easy ways to exploit this.

Agree
Remember the "Flood" and how it was going to destroy footy? It didn't
And Vlad's attack on Sydney's game style. Again it didn't do as Vlad said it would do
The Huddle, Clarko's Cluster and MM's Roman Box...all consigned to history and all predicted to hurt the game

 

[Vicky Park]

Is that the answer? Shoosh up all the women?

Great idea, I'll just show myself out the door...

 

[speedytiger]

Great idea, I'll just show myself out the door...

Into the kitchen?

 

[Maggie5]

They also need to find some consistency in what is a 15m kick.

This is and incorrect disposal are the rule interpretations are the ones that really gripe me.

 

[loki04]

 

[Bucksboys]

So how come it has survived some of the worst thugs, some of the worst injuries and constant negatively for 150 years?
What didn't Mums worry when Jack Dyer and Dermie played?

Do I really need to explain the shift in society over the last 150 years to you?

 

[Baltimore Jack]

Do I really need to explain the shift in society over the last 150 years to you?

No, not the shift in society, I'm up with that bit.
But you may have to explain to me why Mother's loved their children less in 80's when players like Dermie, Plugger, Denis Banks, Rhyse-Jones (sp?) played. I'm struggling with that bit

 

[Bucksboys]

No, not the shift in society, I'm up with that bit.
But you may have to explain to me why Mother's loved their children less in 80's when players like Dermie, Plugger, Denis Banks, Rhyse-Jones (sp?) played. I'm struggling with that bit

Oh for god's sake, it's not the level of love, it's the level of ignorance and information that's changed

Parents smoked in the same room as their children in the 60's and still loved them just as much

The world has changed

 

[Vicky Park]

Into the kitchen?

Brave

 

[Ant85]

How about "Stop trying to save the Game"?
It has survived for nearly 150 years so far.
It's only recently that they have decided to start tinkering with the rules which has created more head aches and WTF moments than need be.
Leave the bloody rules alone.
It's football.
It's a contact sport.
Always was and always should be.
If some mothers don't wan't their precious little kid to play the game because he might get hurt, then Footy isn't the game he should be playing in the first place.
Send the little sook to sewing class.

That's actually inaccurate.

Rules have been added and amended ever since our game started. All sports revise rules on a regular basis, and when you have dozens of coaches per team working full time on how to exploit rules, of course they are going to keep changing.

The reason we have high stoppages/contest footy is because teams with lesser skills are trying to bog down their more skilled opponents. It's what we've been doing all year. We've been playing high pressure, stoppage footy to compensate for our lack of skill against teams like Hawthorn, Freo and even Port (which was one of the ugliest games of the season).

If there was a rule requiring one player from each team to remain within the 50 metre arcs at all times, would that be undermining the fabric of the game or restoring it?

The coaches are the ones that have all 36 players in one corner of the ground around a contest, and thus, it's the coaches that are ultimately changing the basics of the game. Having a permanent forward and defender in the 50 metre arcs is a basic Aussie Rules setup, so I don't see any harm in actually making that mandatory. It places limits on how far coaches can distort the game.

 

[DrDavoren]

16 players on the field...

18 players
3 Interchange
1 sub
Reserves and U18's again for all teams
Bring duffle coats back with badges too while we are at it
15m penalty instead of 50m penalties

 

[Maggie5]

15 metre kicks either enforced or change to 20M it may then at least be 15.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

My general take on things is leave the game alone.

I would be in favour of increasing the minimum kicking distance to result in a mark as 20m.

The holding the ball rule is fine, in so far as prior opportunity is concerned. The problem is the interpretation.

If a player is in possession of the ball and has time to effect a kick or handball, and then is r3tarded by a legal tackle THAT IS HOLDING THE BALL. The player should not then be given a reasonable amount of time to dispose of it, THAT IS WHAT THE "PRIOR" IN PRIOR OPPORTUNITY MEANS.

If the same player is tackled immediately on taking possession of the ball, they should then be given a reasonable amount of time to dispose of it. If they are piled on, ball it up. If they don't dispose of it legally but could have, HOLDING THE BALL.

Incorrect disposal is a free against, if the ball is knocked out, play on.

****ing simple but for some reason they can't manage it.

 

[peter9789]

It's very easy really.

1. Umpire the game without the myriad of stupid interpretations that is required nowadays. If someone drops the ball pay dropping the ball.

2. Too many teams these days means to many spuds are getting a game at the elite level. Never been a fan of 18 teams. If we reduced the number teams through some kinda of either relegation system and or simply killed off a couple of teams then the standard of footy would improve out of sight


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[mattys123]

Here's the comparison, rule changes since 1997;

Association football/Soccer = 0

AFL = 35

Cmon now, that's just wrong.

The problem is because our game is so insular, so controlled by one small and self interest (bring in $$$$ for the AFL) that they change the rules to suit themselves, not really to suit either the look or play of the game.

 

[NT.Thunder]

How about "Stop trying to save the Game"?
It has survived for nearly 150 years so far.
It's only recently that they have decided to start tinkering with the rules which has created more head aches and WTF moments than need be.
Leave the bloody rules alone.
It's football.
It's a contact sport.
Always was and always should be.
If some mothers don't wan't their precious little kid to play the game because he might get hurt, then Footy isn't the game he should be playing in the first place.
Send the little sook to sewing class.

Yeah I'm all over this with you Rusty - I nearly flew into a fit of rage opening up another article on the AFL website about once again changes to umpiring from the last round and the increased free kick count.

Stop bloody changing the game on a weekly basis thereby confusing players, coaches and the supporters.....FFS if the head of Umpires doesn't know what's going on how the hell are we meant to follow it!

 

[Subprime]

Googled up the rule changes, they're here if you want a look, and most of them seem to be about speeding up the game.
Quite a number of the 'rule changes' relate to mundane things most would not even notice.
Nothing wrong with adjusting the rules of a game over time and its always been the case with Australian football.

 

[Black_White]

"Play On" from any backward kicks outside the controlling teams forward 50.

 

[MoreMoore]

Incorrect disposal seems to have gone the way of the Dodo.

Doggies threw it all day!